Rhinoplasty (Nose Job) Results

Nose job surgery is among the most popular cosmetic procedures around. However, as with any plastic surgery procedure, there are limitations to what rhinoplasty can accomplish. As long as patients maintain reasonable expectations and have investigated the costs, benefits, and risks of the rhinoplasty (nose job) surgery, most find the results very pleasing.

Post Rhinoplasty Results – Managing Expectations

The key to ensuring the best rhinoplasty (nose job) results is for the patient to clearly understand what can and can't be changed with surgery. The current form of the patient’s nose will in many ways restrict the range of possible outcomes; it is very difficult, if not impossible, to alter the size and shape of the nose drastically while keeping it strong enough to remain healthy. That said, even small changes — millimeters added, subtracted, or shifted — can have major, positive effects on the overall appearance.

The results that the patient can expect after the nose job can be previewed using modern digital imaging technology, which allows surgeons to construct 3-D virtual models of the face as it will appear. This tool, while making it easier for patients and surgeons to agree on what the ultimate goal of the rhinoplasty surgery will be, is only a guide for the doctor, and there is no guarantee that the nose job will yield those precise results.

How Long Until I See Final Results?

The rhinoplasty (nose job) surgery results will not be immediately apparent; in fact, when you first come home and look in the mirror, you will probably find that knowledge very comforting. Side effects such as swelling and bruising around the nose and eyes will puff up and distort their appearance considerably, and will remain evident for up to two weeks. Some residual swelling will remain for six months to a year after the rhinoplasty procedure. The final results will not be apparent until this swelling has fully subsided.

Will there be Permanent Scarring?

Some scarring is inevitable in the great majority of surgeries, whether health-driven or cosmetic, and rhinoplasty is no exception. A nose job results in only minimal scarring, though, and the marks are usually almost unnoticeable. After all, no one would opt for an appearance-enhancing surgery that left unseemly scars in prominent positions on the face. A closed rhinoplasty surgery creates scars only on the inside of the nose, where no one will see them at all. An open rhinoplasty procedure may be necessary for more extensive reshaping; this surgery creates only one external scar at the base of the columella (the skin that divides the nostrils). This scar will be very fine and should fade with time, becoming very difficult for others to detect.

What if I am not Happy with My Results?

While every surgeon strives to make the first nose job count, the post rhinoplasty results are not always exactly what the patient had expected. The thing to keep in mind in the months after the surgery is that the nose’s shape may not become fully set for up to a year. Once the nose has fully stabilized, the patient and the surgeon can discuss whether a second rhinoplasty will improve the results. Should the patient find the results after the first nose job very dissatisfactory, revision rhinoplasty surgery may be a viable option.

Search Facial Cosmetic Surgeons in Your Area

The best way to ensure good rhinoplasty (nose job) surgery results is to find a skilled, experienced cosmetic surgeon to perform the operation. Use our directory of plastic surgeons to find a doctor in your area.